Scarlett Johansson has returned to the MCU and made a name for herself Black widow Theory seems practically inevitable. Scarlett Johansson's Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow, was last seen in her self-titled prequel film in 2021. However, the character remains dead in the MCU after sacrificing herself to obtain the Soul Stone Avengers: Endgame. The nature of this death means that her soul is presumably trapped in the Soul Stone's pocket dimension and remains inaccessible now that Earth-616's Infinity Stones are destroyed. However, with the Multiverse saga showing that countless variants live in other universes, Scarlett Johansson's MCU return seems possible.

For now, Yelena Belova is stepping into her shoes as the MCU's elite assassin and victim of the Red Room. Belova is expected to take on a leading role in 2025 lightning* after reuniting with her adoptive father Alexei Shostakov and joining the MCU's team of down-and-out, reformed villains and anti-heroes. This is where Scarlett Johansson returns to the MCU, and that could mark a big step for Belova's MCU arc.

Yelena officially becomes the Black Widow* in Thunderbolts, which makes more sense with the return of Scarlett Johansson

Scarlett Johansson was supposed to oversee the passing of the torch

Although she filled the role of her late adoptive sister, Yelena Belova has yet to take on the mantle of Black Widow. This despite being part of the same Black Widow program as her predecessor and taking on the role at Marvel Comics. That could change soon lightning*which is made even more likely by the fact that Scarlett Johansson is involved as one of the film's executive producers.

This is the second time Johansson has taken on such a role for an MCU film after producing 2021 Black widow. Although she also starred in her Swan Song film, her character's death means it's very unlikely she'll appear there Lightning*. Instead, Johansson's involvement is more likely due to the involvement of several characters featured in Black widowwhile Her unstoppable attachment to the Black Widow mantle makes it likely that she will be involved in passing the torch to Yelena Belova.

Yelena's final MCU appearance hinted at an impending official introduction of the Black Widow mantle

Hawkeye helped Yelena take a more heroic path

Yelena Belova was last seen Hawkeye after being hired by Eleanor Bishop to murder Clint Barton – a job she eagerly accepted, believing Hawkeye to be her sister's murderer. After spending several episodes pursuing Barton, their final showdown came in the series finale.So this is Christmas,“Saw Hawkeye successfully convince Belova that he was not responsible for her sister's death. This leads to a tearful final scene for Yelena as she knows that her sister made a noble decision that she was undeterred from.

This reconciliation with a former Avenger and her sister's final moments could lead Yelena down a more heroic path with a heroic nickname. Now that she's come to terms with Black Widow's absence, there's a glaring gap in the MCU that Yelena is the perfect candidate to fill. Meanwhile, her highly entertaining friendship with Kate Bishop opens the door for a spot on a more virtuous team down the line – but lightning* Still, it seems like the best place for Yelena to officially become Black Widow.

Why Thunderbolts* is the perfect place to officially make Yelena the next Black Widow

The coat could give Yelena the purpose she has been looking for

After the release of the first lightning* It's clear from the teaser trailer that the titular team will be relatively unsettled – at least at first. It is also said to revolve around mental health issues, exemplified by Yelena's line: “There's something wrong with me. A void. I just drift around and have no destination.“Presumably, this will result in the struggling team members – and Yelena Belova in particular – achieving some sort of catharsis that will serve them well in their MCU future.

Taking on the mantle of Black Widow and carrying on her sister's legacy would be the perfect way for Yelena Belova to achieve this. There is a lot of meaning and purpose in the role of Black widoweventually, and it should help her choose a more virtuous path than doing de Fontaine's dirty work. Assuming she survives the film – a possibility that seems frighteningly uncertain after Sentry's involvement was confirmed – this could transform Belova from a morally gray member of the Thunderbolts to a continuation of Natasha Romanoff's brave legacy with the Avengers.

Black widow

Initially introduced as Iron Man's antagonist, Russian assassin Natasha Romanoff eventually escaped to the United States and joined Marvel's roster of heroes. As a member of SHIELD and the Avengers, Black Widow has appeared in countless comics and several films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (played by Scarlett Johansson).

Created by

Stan Lee, Don Rico, Don Heck

Alias

Natasha Romanoff

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Upcoming MCU films